West Ham United transfer news update on Nikola Vlasic emerges amid ‘impasse’ at current club Torino, summer exit likely
West Ham loanee Nikola Vlasic is in the middle of an “impasse” at current club Torino, with the Croatian increasingly uncertain over where his future lies, according to The Athletic.
The attacking midfielder failed to have any real impact in England after joining from CSKA Moscow for £25.7million in August 2021, scoring just one goal from his 31 appearances.
Vlasic has already registered more goals and assists in fewer matches for Torino, but it remains unclear whether he will find a permanent home at the Italian club beyond the summer.
“Vlasic has scored four times in 26 games for Torino and registered just four assists,” as reported by The Athletic. “His last goal came on November 9, meaning he has not found the net in 11 games.
“He has recently returned to the starting XI after being sidelined with a muscle injury and will be hoping to finish the season more strongly.
“Whether or not Torino sign him permanently is likely to depend on if manager Ivan Juric remains at the helm. Croat Juric has been critical of Urbano Cairo, Torino’s president, over the club’s transfer strategy and it has led to an impasse when it comes to planning for the summer window.”
Hammers exit likely
Given his attacking role on the pitch, criticism of his lack of goals and assists is perhaps warranted, but Vlasic remains a crucial player for Torino.
The club as a whole have not been particularly threatening in the final third in Serie A this season, but Vlasic himself will still want to improve on his respective tallies.
West Ham have also not been very fruitful in front of goal in recent times, but that doesn’t look to change their stance regarding Vlasic, particularly given the recent arrival of fellow attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta.
The Croatian is certainly talented, but there is no chance of him starting ahead of the Brazilian, with the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma usually occupying the other attacking spots.
That said, the Torino attacker managed to turn his international career around in fine fashion, from risking missing out on a place in Croatia’s 2022 World Cup squad to playing a key role as the country finished third.